Dolittle defends relations with lobbyist
WASHINGTON --In his first extensive public comments about being implicated in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif., said he has done nothing wrong and challenged the Justice Department to investigate him.
Doolittle also criticized ethics reforms being proposed by fellow GOP leaders in the House, saying they are being done for the sake of appearances.
"I think the system's working," Doolittle said in a prerecorded interview broadcast Monday on Sacramento talk radio station KFBK-AM.
Doolittle disputed reports, including by The Associated Press, that he is among the handful of lawmakers whose ties to Abramoff are being examined by federal investigators. He said he has never been contacted by them.
"If there's any truth to that, then come investigate me, come contact me because I know what the truth is and I'll come out with a clean record," Doolittle said.
Doolittle accepted campaign money from Abramoff and used the lobbyist's luxury sports box for a fundraiser without initially reporting it. Doolittle's wife and one of his former aides also worked for the lobbyist.
His office released a copy of a letter he sent to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales last week offering his cooperation to put the speculation to rest.
Doolittle, 55, a conservative in his eighth term representing a rural northern California district, is a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee and of the House leadership.
Abramoff, who has admitted to conspiring to defraud his Indian tribe clients, has pleaded guilty to corruption-related charges and is cooperating with prosecutors.
Doolittle said he knew Abramoff as a friend: "I liked him, frankly, because he was a partisan, conservative Republican activist, and that's a little bit unusual for lobbyists. I didn't know about any of these other things."
In the wake of the scandal, House Republicans last week proposed banning privately sponsored travel and most gifts.
"Our leaders think that we have to show that we're doing something. This is about appearance," Doolittle said. "Those ethics reforms that are being proposed, in my opinion, have almost no bearing on whatever happened with the Abramoff matter, and I'm not sure they're terribly wise things to do."
